Coaptation
by Twisted Skys
Summary: Coaptation: A joining or adjusting of parts to one another. Jack is the school prankster, the class clown. His tricks have angered more than a few people, but he's never hurt anyone. So when his pranks become a little too dangerous, it's up to a certain group of misfit students to find out why. [High school AU For CottonCandy1234's contest]
1. Chapter 1

He usually wasn't at the school later than school hours. He usually wasn't here after dark either, but that was all irrelevant. He had a task at hand. He grinned to himself, even as a hand moved up to cover his mouth and muffle any noises his heavy breathing would make. The heavy footsteps of a large group of students were coming closer and Jack was hiding in the shadows of the gym doorway. Across the hall and behind the chain-link fence was the pool, covered for the winter. There weren't any lights in the alley between the gym and the fence and it really was the perfect place to hide from the angry hoard of art students that were currently hunting for him.

There were at least three of them, but Jack could have sworn he saw a fourth pair of feet run past him toward the center of campus. They were silly to think he would head in that direction. Oh no, he was leaving campus for the senior parking lot.

He had a grudge to settle and a bucket of paint to do it with.

Once their footsteps faded, he stood, taking the bucket with him. He looked around the door-jam to make sure that no one was there. The coast was clear so, clutching his prize to his body, he ran in the opposite direction they had gone.

The parking lot was empty save for a single green Volkswagen bug. He was grinning as he opened the lid and slashed the ice blue paint across the forest green hood. He made sure not to get any of the paint on the windshield. He still wanted Aster to be able to drive the stupid thing.

"The only thing my pranks are harmful toward is your paintjob, Kangaroo," he said to himself.

He stepped back after a minute, once the paint can was empty. He admired his handy work for a long moment before he caught the sound of his pursuers making another round towards the parking lot. He dropped the can and sprinted toward the darkness of the street.

The art students heard the paint can clatter on the concrete and came to investigate. Jack hopped the fence off the campus and waited in the darkness for a second. He counted to three before one long exasperated shout echoed from across the parking lot.

With a bust of laughter that he hoped didn't carry, he took up the jog home, leaving the mayhem behind him.

* * *

"Hey Aster!" he called from across the hall. The other boy looked up from his locker and over to where Jack was standing in front of his own. As soon as his eyes landed on Jack they narrowed.

The Australian thundered toward him like an elephant, pushing some poor freshman out of his way. Jack was almost afraid he would throw a punch but Aster was too much of a goody-two-shoe to even dare. So Jack just crossed his arms over his chest and smirked, feeling rather proud of himself.

"You think this is funny? My car is blue thanks to you, you little-" He was shaking with rage, one fist raised and ready to strike.

"Well you shouldn't be spreading lies, eh Rabbit?"

"I told you, you prick, I didn't tell Effie those things. She wrote them all on her own."

Effie was the head editor for the school paper. She had written an article on Jack back in the fall that had read that he was hurting people with his pranks. Jack had gotten a rumor that she had heard from Aster that Jack had caused some kid to drown when he was in middle school.

"Oh please," Jack tried to keep his own anger at the whole situation under control. He just needed to keep smirking and pretending and he would be fine. "Everyone knows she worships the ground you walk on."

"You know what, I'm glad that they spread all those bad things about you. Harmless pranks or not, I wouldn't be surprised if someone got hurt one day."

Jack pushed off the lockers behind him, his arms falling to his sides. He was about to say something in response when the bell range loud enough to cut him off. Aster straightened from how he had been trying to tower over the smaller boy. He smirked, and for a second Jack saw red.

Without another word the Australian turned and walked down the hall toward his class. Jack was about to go after him when a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

He turned partially, about ready to punch whoever dared to stop him. He stopped, his anger deflating upon meeting the gold-grey eyes of his only friend.

"He doesn't know, Jack. You can't be angry at him for being an idiot."

Jack snorted. "Like hell I can." He made a gesture down the hall. "Maybe he should think before he says things."

Pitch waited patiently for a moment for Jack's anger to simmer before he decided it was safe to change the topic. "Did you do the lab?"

Jack glanced at him briefly, distracted in his thoughts. "What lab?"

"The one that is due in five minutes," Pitch answered flatly.

Jack instantly paled. "Oh crap." He looked back at Pitch for longer than a second this time. "Did you do it?"

Pitch raised a single black eyebrow but remained patient with the trickster. "I did. Would you like to copy?"

By the time Jack finished quickly scribbling the answers from Pitch's worksheet onto his own, his anger towards Aster was mostly forgotten. He handed back the paper and shoved his own into his backpack rather haphazardly. "So where were you this morning? It's not like you to ditch."

Pitch's lips tighten into a thin smile that was in no way happy. "I was having car problems."

Jack winced. "What kind of problems?"

"The kind that makes me ask for a couple hundred dollars." He looked at Jack from the corner of his eye, waiting for a reaction.

It took Jack a moment to swallow that bit of information before he could actually acknowledge it. "You need money," he replied flatly. "Well, at least you don't beat around the bush about it."

"You know my dad can't pay for it."

Jack eyed Pitch for a moment. "Can't, or you just won't go to him."

Pitch shrugged, looking at the floor. "Both." He glanced at Jack again. "Didn't your dad just come home?"

It was Jack's turn to look at the floor now. "Nah, he called me last night and said he wasn't able to get a flight."

Pitch had the sense to look sympathetic, despite the fact that he was not in the slightest bit surprised by that turn of events. "He sent the check, though, didn't he?"

"Oh yeah. He always sends it," Jack replied bitterly.

There was a long pause between the two of them as they entered the chemistry room. Pitch doesn't say anything until both of them are seated again. "So you can lend me the money to get my car fixed, yeah?"

Jack looked over at his friend, exasperated but oddly amused. "Yeah, I guess, but come on, Pitch. I ain't made of money, you know."

Pitch snorted at his friend. "You're better off than I am. This wouldn't be the first time you've shelled out a couple hundred for a friend."

Jack suddenly froze in his rummaging through his backpack. He slowly sat up straight to look at Pitch properly. "Did you seriously just spout that line?"

Pitch gave him a small smile and it was obvious that he was trying not to laugh. "Maybe I did."

"You really just tried to pull the 'friends help friends' thing? On me?"

"You are my only friend, Jack." If Pitch was capable of such a face, Jack was sure he would have tried to turn puppy eyes on him.

Jack scoffed. "'Cause that's stopped you from getting what you want from other people. You don't have to be their friend to manipulate them. Didn't you tell me that in freshman year?"

"It was a very good piece of advice and I still stick by it," Pitch defended haughtily.

Jack rolled his eyes, staring at the darker boy for a long moment. "How much do you need?"

"Three hundred should cover it," he replied brightly, which was odd for Pitch.

"I'll see what I can do," which translated into 'I'll ask my butler for money and he'll have to give it to me because he's my butler'.

Jack doesn't miss the smile that stretched across Pitch's face or the triumph in the other boy's eyes even though he pretended not to notice.

* * *

_Afterword: Oh what, a new story? Oops. Now before you all get your knickers in a wad, this is for a contest for CottonCandy1234's fanfiction battle. The winner is the person with the most reviews. I don't actually expect to win because this is far from anything I'm actually proud of. My writer's block lessened around the time I posted the last Invisible chapter, and then it decided to come back and I literally have not written anything since except this. It took me three tries to be almost happy with it. I will post chapters of this every Thursday for its duration and I'm hoping that once I get the juices flowing again the chapters will get longer and significantly better. I hope you enjoyed, tell me what you think. :)_


	2. Chapter 2

"Cosmo, you're late." Mr. Price sounded genuinely surprised by this. Jack looked up from his notes. Pitch, his real name Cosmo, was usually never late. He was a straight A student. His dad wouldn't allow for anything else.

Pitch put on the polite smile he did for all adults and handed the older man the office slip. "It won't happen again, sir."

"I'll hold you to that." He returned to the board to finish the lecture while Pitch silently made his way to the double desk he and Jack shared.

Jack ignored him, more interested in the lecture than the other boy. He flinched, more out of surprise than fear, when something papery slapped his knee. He glanced at Pitch from the corner of her eye and reached under the table to grab whatever Pitch was trying to hand him.

It was an envelope, and from the feel of it, it had money in it.

"Thank you for the loan," Pitch whispered as he pushed it into Jack's hand.

Jack took the envelope and shoved it into his hoodie pocket. "That was quick," Jack whispered back, suspicious. "How did you get the money so fast?" It had only been a week. No way that Pitch could have earned it that quick, and certainly no way that his dad had given it to him.

Pitch gave him a tight lipped smirk, glancing at him from the corner of his eye. "Come out to my car after school and I'll show you."

Jack looked at him full on, narrowing his eyes. "This sounds like a ploy to sell me drugs or to kidnap and rape me. You didn't become gay while I wasn't looking did you?" Jack paused for a second. "Not that there's anything wrong with that, or anything."

Pitch gave him a look, one that could curdle milk and make babies cry.

"Right, so you don't plan to rape me? Or you don't plan to sell me drugs?"

"Not exactly, no."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Frost, stop being so nosey and impatient, I'll tell you later."

Jack frowned, both at Pitch's stubbornness and the irritatingly popular nickname his pranks managed to get him. Just because he liked ice didn't mean he wanted to be named after it. He would have been happier with 'Pixie Boy' or something.

"Oh come on, can't you give me a hint? It was my money!"

"Yes, it's drugs, now shut up!"

"Haha, you're funny. No, really, what is it?"

"Shut up!"

Pitch had whispered a little too loudly for Mr. Price's liking and the older man had promptly zeroed in on their conversation in the way only high school teachers could. "First you're late, and now you seem to feel that your conversation with Mr. Overland is more important than molecular bonding, Mr. Pitchinier. Is there something else you would like to learn about since this seems to be boring you?"

"No, Mr. Price," Pitch mumbled as he started scribbling the notes down furiously.

"What about you, Mr. Overland."

"Nope, I'm good, we're sorry."

"Then stop talking!"

With a harrumph, the older man went back to the lecture. Pitch and Jack did not speak the rest of class, not feeling like risking the wrath of an angry chemistry teacher.

* * *

Pitch did not really look like any other senior on the last Friday before winter break. In fact, he looked rather dismal and bored, leaning up against his old black mustang. Jack finally made it there from where his last class was across campus.

"It's about time," Pitch snarked.

Jack made a quick inspection of the car, furrowing his brow. It still looked like the same old beat up thing that it always was. It still had the giant scratch across the hood and everything. "You didn't use the money for the car, did you?"

"I like that you assume I got in an accident and needed to cover the damage."

Jack looked at him with a raised brow. "You're a terrible driver, dude."

Pitch glared. "Get in the car."

"Can't, Boris is picking me up."

"Oh, forget your stupid butler."

"Hey, don't knock Boris. He's cool."

"Well, I'm not showing you here."

"Don't be such a fraidy-cat. Just show me. It can't be that bad."

They stared each other down for a few minutes before Pitch finally gave in. "Fine. We're technically not on campus, anyway." He pushed off the car and signaled for Jack to follow him over to the trunk. He glanced around briefly at the emptying parking lot before seeming to deem it safe to pop his trunk.

There was a moment where both boys stared at the bags laying in neat rows in Pitch's mustang before Jack looked at the other boy then back at the bags. "Is that- Are those…?"

"Yes."

Jack glanced around to make sure that no one was around before leaning in. "You bought drugs! With my money?" he whispered furiously.

Pitch hushed him, also glancing around briefly. He shut the trunk, preventing anyone else from looking in on the many ziplocked backs. "It's just marijuana."

Jack seemed to be on the verge of a full on conniption fit. "_Just_ marijuana? Pitch, are you stupid?"

"Quite the contrary, Jack. I think this is a very smart investment."

Jack froze for a second. "Investment? What does that mean?"

"What, you think I'm actually going to smoke that? And you call _me_ stupid. No, I'm planning on selling it."

Jack stared at his friend for a solid minute before he seemed to finally come to terms with what the other boy was saying. "You are going to sell-"

Pitch shushed him again. "Don't be so loud."

"Why are you doing this? I thought you were going to college. Why are you risking your chance to get out of here?"

"My dad wants me to go to college, Jack. I'm not going to free of him unless I do something he doesn't want me to do. So I'm going to make a living without going to college."

"So you chose this? Seriously? Why don't you go for that psychology thing you wanted to do? That's going against your dad, isn't it?"

"Yeah but it's not enough. I have to shame him so bad he leaves me alone. He wouldn't dare talk to the urchin son that didn't go to college."

Jack stared at Pitch for a moment, sympathy and something akin to exasperation warring inside him. "Has it gotten that bad?"

Pitch hated sympathy more that Jack did, so the honest pity in Jack's voice was enough to make Pitch clam up. He rolled his eyes skyward and straightened his coat out. "Look, Jack, I need to be ready to move out on my eighteenth birthday. Right now, there is no possible way that I'll be able to manage that. I have no money and no job prospects. I'm in a hopeless rut. But with this, I might be able to get myself somewhere. I'll make just enough to get out of town and to live off of for a while, then I'll go to something more honest.

"And just think of what would happen if we did this together. You and me against the world. Your resources and my brains, we could go far by doing this."

Pitch looked expectantly at Jack. The smaller boy could already feel the guilt swirling in his stomach and chest. He'd been friends with Pitch since freshman year. They'd done everything together. But this was too far.

Jack was a pacifist by nature. He didn't like to hurt people. He was even a vegetarian. He went to extra effort to make sure that any prank he pulled was entirely harmless. But this endeavor was not harmless. This was dangerous and likely to hurt people. Sure, it was marijuana now, but what would Pitch want to sell next?

"I can't do this, Pitch. I'm sorry, but you're going to have to find someone else's resources to use."

Pitch looked genuinely angry for less than a second, but that was always how he was and Jack wrote it off as his general Pitch-ness. His poker face was in place before Jack could blink.

"Very well, I understand. You are kind of a goody-two-shoes."

Jack shrugged. "I just don't want to be a part of this." He paused. "I really don't want to be a part of this friendship if this is what you're doing either."

The angry look on Pitch's face lingered for longer than a second this time and remained in his eyes long after his expression evened out again.

Jack scuffed his foot on the concrete, shrugged, and made to turn away. Before he could, Pitch caught his arm. "You won't tell anyone, right?"

Jack looked at Pitch's face for only a second before he shook his head vigorously. "I may not like what you're doing, but I'm not a snitch. Just don't sell to anyone I know, alright?"

Pitch didn't respond and Jack didn't really expect him to. Jack started the walk back across campus as Pitch got in his car.

He was too caught up in his own thoughts that he did not see Aster coming out of the main building, carrying a small rabbit cage. They smashed into each other and Aster scrambled to keep the cage and the small squirrel inside from falling out of his arms.

Jack watched for a second, and seeing that the animal was perfectly safe from falling, proceeded to laugh his butt off at the Australian.

"Oi, watch where you're going."

"I'm not the one carrying around a squirrel. Find yourself a new girlfriend, Bunnymund? I could have sworn you were into rabbits."

"For your information, this is the school mascot. Show some respect, you twat."

Jack lowered his voice mockingly. "Oh no, the school mascot. Sorry, I didn't know. I'm not on your pep squad streamer junkies, my bad."

Jack was sure that if Aster wasn't so preoccupied with the cage in his arms, he would have slugged the smaller boy. As it were, all the larger boy could do was walk away.

Jack wished Pitch had been there to see that victory, and in that moment he realized that it was going to be a very long winter break.

* * *

Afterword: I'm glad I wrote this chapter ahead of time, otherwise I don't think it would have ever seen the light of day. I hope you enjoyed.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack sincerely wished that winter break was longer than three weeks. It was just not enough time to feel like he had rested enough. Between the Christmas rushes, (which actually was not that busy for him seeing as it was just him and Boris) and finishing any homework that some crazy teachers assigned, Jack had been too busy to sleep all day. He always felt like a dork for doing it, but Jack usually did the homework assigned over breaks, merely because he could not usually stand the disapproving looks the teachers always gave. Besides, he was bored and without Pitch to keep him company, Jack really did not have anything else to do over the break.

Besides from more grumbling about having to get up than usual on his part, today was like any other. It was cold and there was a light snowfall that had persisted over the last few days. Jack loved the snow. Winter was his favorite season. It had been Emma's favorite season too. They would spend so much of their winter breaks and the weekends that followed building armies of snowmen, which his mother used to delight in. Even when their mother had fallen ill, him and Emma would build armies outsides her windows or in the hospital lawn so she could still see them from her bed.

Christmas was always the hardest part of the year for him. It was easier when his dad came home, but he had not made it back from Europe for Christmas for two years in a row now. He would always say that something came up, like the weather or an important meeting, but Jack knew better. He just did not want to come home. The house was empty without Emma or Christine. The walls were empty of pictures and the house was too clean to speak of living. It was just Jack, the boy who killed half his family. He knew that his father did not want to come home because he blamed Jack for what happened and he just did not want to be with the boy. No matter what Boris said to the contrary, Jack knew that was the truth. Not that he could deny it. He was the one that failed to save Emma, after all.

He made it to school with twenty minutes to spare. He tied his bike to the rack and turned to see a group of freshmen staring openly at him. He paused, looking at them long enough to make them feel uncomfortable. They scuttled off, whispering among themselves. He cocked his head slightly, his jaw working in his confusion. He glanced down at himself, checking for spots or tears. He pulled out his phone and used the touch screen to check his reflection, but found nothing on his face either. He felt the back of his pants for tears then looked back at his bike to make sure no one had played a stupid prank on him. It would not be the first time that had happened. But there was nothing. He furrowed his brow, checking his backpack one last time before slinging it over his shoulder.

He barely got onto the campus proper before he started to realize that something was seriously wrong. It was not just those freshmen that had been staring. Everyone was looking at him. As soon as he looked in their direction, they hurried away, whispering to each other in hushed tones, still sending him furtive glances.

This continued for his whole walk to the center of the campus, reaching its pinnacle when he reached the main hall, where the school logo was and where the school mascot, Monty the Flying Squirrel, was displayed. Upon seeing Jack, most of the students crowded around Monty's glass case parted, stepping far away from him. The looks he received ranged from afraid to downright angry.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the squirrel. Blue tinted and covered in frost, solid and unmoving. Nitrogen, his brain told him helpfully. The only thing that freeze something like that solid. Monty looked like a statue, frozen in time. It had to have been nitrogen. Any other method of freezing and he would have looked like he was just asleep. But no, the squirrel looked like it had tried to make a mad dash to escape death, only to be frozen.

Jack shuddered. Who would do such a thing? Why would anyone want to kill Monty? Sure, he was a stupid mascot, but he did not deserve to die.

Jack was so preoccupied with his own mind he did not notice the campus police until a heavy hand was on his shoulder. He nearly jumped out of his skin, but was in too much of a shocked state at that point to resist when the man started to pull him away from the cage with the frozen squirrel and the stares and whispers that still managed to follow him.

Something clicked in his mind. The squirrel had been frozen, and everyone was staring at _him_. He gasped, stopping dead in his tracks. They blamed him for it.

The hand on his shoulder tightened painfully and he was pulled forward with enough strength that he almost tripped. He looked up at the stern face of his temporary warden and knew that he was in trouble.

"Crap."

"I'll say," replied the officer.

"I didn't do it," he protested.

"We'll discuss this in private, with your parents."

Jack actually snorted, imagining his dad coming all the way from Germany just for a call from the principal.

"What is so funny?" The officer's tone spoke that whatever Jack found amusing, it really was not and that he needed to shut up and not laugh about anything for a while.

"Nothing, sir."

They went through the office, where even the staff stared at him. At least they had the decency to watch him from the corner of their eyes or without moving their heads. Jack could still feel their eyes and their judgment burning into his skin like a brand. He hated it.

Sure, Jack had been in trouble before. He was famous for his pranks after all, but whenever he'd been walked through here, he was not escorted by a cop in uniform and at least one or two people in the office found his antics amusing and were smiling and nodding at him. Now they all just seemed to be ashamed to be in his mere presence.

Boris was there when the cop steered him into the principal's office. The old man was looking as unruffled and calm as he usually was, observing Jack with his usual critical eye. He paused a moment to watch Jack, where they made eye contact. Jack tried to convey that he was innocent and that Boris needed to rescue him in that one look.

The butler suddenly turned to the balding man standing behind the desk. "He did not do it. He doesn't have that look about him that he gets when I'm about to regret my job."

Jack actually smiled, despite the fear bubbling at a low boil in his belly.

"Are you the boy's father?" asked the officer.

"I'm his acting guardian," replied Boris without missing a beat.

The officer, who Jack finally read as M. Canan, pushes him into a seat. Boris sat in the one next to him, and Canan moved to stand by the door like a frightening sentry.

"Jack, what has gotten into you? You've never hurt anything before, so why now?" Mr. Scallops started without any piffle.

Boris suddenly stiffened. "He didn't do it. I find it offensive that you would just assume it is him."

Mr. Scallops looked at Boris like he was a child in need of teaching and Jack could feel the ire rising in the old gentleman. "Mr. Overland-"

"Mr. Auro, actually."

"Mr. Auro, Jack has pulled pranks in the school since he started attending here, and all of them have had to do with ice in some form or fashion. The only reason he has not gotten into more serious trouble is because they have been, frankly, harmless. Up until now, that is."

"I don't see your point."

"The school mascot was frozen. Who else would do this?"

Boris would have sputtered had he been a lesser man. The fact of the matter was that Boris did not sputter and that was final. He did look like he was fighting a conniption fit, however. Jack had the impression that they had had this conversation while they had waited for him to arrive.

"Jack has enemies. Perhaps one of them had done it."

"I feel that this school and her students are not so barbaric as to have all out wars."

"I'm not saying this is a war, but isn't there someone who would do this to you, Jack?"

Suddenly three pairs of eyes were on him. Jack, unlike Boris, did not have an anti-sputtering rule, so he gawped and stuttered for a moment before he finally got over the shock of being abruptly thrown into the spotlight. "I, uh, I don't know. I try not to make enemies. I guess it could be anyone." Jack felt panic begin to set in. "Justice, and stuff," he said, feeling like a fool. "I really didn't do this. I swear. I wouldn't."

Boris looked at Mr. Scallops expectantly.

"I want to believe you, Jack, but until we have evidence to the contrary, I cannot stop what people are going to think."

"I wasn't even at school this morning."

"That's all well and good, but do you have someone to verify that?"

Jack had spent the morning in the park, like he usually did. No one else there that he knew. "No."

Mr. Scallops put his hands up in an 'I don't know what to tell you' gesture. "I'm sorry, Jack. There isn't much I can do right now."

"Am I in trouble?"

"Well, yes. I will have to give you detention on the grounds that you killed the squirrel."

"But-"

"But because you seem so adamant that you didn't do it, and I sincerely want to believe you, Jack, I will not be suspending you for the rest of the week. Something like this happens again, and I may not have a choice."

The door clicked quietly as Canan left, leaving the room in utter silence.

"I have my hands tied with this. The police are concerned about your mental health. If I don't do something, I risk losing my job or them intervening."

"So what does that mean?"

"I want you to come see the school therapist at lunches for the next week."

"This is outrageous!" Boris stood so suddenly that the chair crashed into the wall.

"It's better than suspending him. He gets suspended and that college acceptance letter might as well go in the shredder, Mr. Auro," Mr. Scallops replied firmly, his tone as heavy as a million bricks.

Boris seethed for a moment, but he seemed to be considering his options. "This is outrageous," he repeated in a much quieter tone.

"I understand that you are upset, and we will conduct a full investigation, but Jack is the most likely suspect at this point."

The bell for first period rang, cutting off their conversation for a moment.

"I am sorry. Both of you. You should go to class, Jack, and I'm sure that both of you will discuss this in more detail later. If either you have any information about who might do this to Jack, please let us know as soon as possible."

It was obvious that the meeting was adjourned. Boris left in a huff, and Jack in a daze. Today was going to be long, and he already dreaded it.

* * *

_Afterword: I'm sorry I didn't post last week. I just didn't have the energy to write. I barely have the energy right now, but I would rather write than do homework at this point. Yup, that's right. School has officially started for me. _

_It isn't going to be like last semester where I still had gobs of free time because I literally have no social life. I'm upping the ante, because I wasted a year and I need to catch up if I want to graduate on time. More classes, more homework, less free time, less time to write, more of my precious free time spent in an incoherent catatonic state (Sleep? Kind of..?)._

_I will finish this story, but Fragile, that project that I've been working on since the Spring, is being put on the back burner for the time being, and with it is Invisible. I will write when I can, but updates will likely be few and far between._

_Anyway, reviews are love and I like to feel loved every now and then. :D_


	4. Chapter 4

The whole day had been like walking on egg shells. No one talked to him. Everyone was too afraid. A part of Jack did not blame them, and another part resented them. Chemistry was only the half-way point in his day but already he was ready to either collapse under the tension or just plain punch someone. Knowing the latter would likely put into more trouble he decided the collapsing was better.

And that was what he did, right into his seat in chemistry. He sat next to Pitch, more out of habit than anything, but was instantly happy that he had. He needed some comfort right now, and going two weeks without his best friend had taken its toll on him.

He smiled brightly, turning to regard the taller boy, but was met with a cold shoulder and an indifferent face. The smile on his face dropped as if someone had clipped bricks to his lips. Their discussion before break came flooding back. He felt the disgust that he had been fighting with since that day bubble up to the surface again.

Along with came a series of thoughts that fell together like some bizarre connect-the-dots. He sat ramrod straight, his fists balling. He tried not to gasp out loud but the intensity of his epiphany was so strong that he was not sure if he had succeeded or not. He felt more than saw Pitch glance at him from the corner of his eye.

"It was you, wasn't it?" he whispered fiercely.

Who else could it be? Who else was mad enough at Jack to do such a thing? Pitch had motive, he was butt-hurt over the sour way things had ended. He was also one of the smartest, most resourceful guys that Jack knew. He could have easily pulled it off and no one would even suspect him.

"What are you talking about?"

Jack turned on him, seeing red for a moment. "You froze the squirrel, didn't you?"

Pitch snorted, regarding the other boy as if he were a child that had spoken terribly out of turn. "Why would I freeze a squirrel, Jack? To get back at you? Do you really think I'm that vindictive?"

"Yes." Pitch could, in fact, be that vengeful. That was perfectly in his character to try and get back at Jack in some way that would really hurt him. Jack had hoped that because they had been friends for so long that Pitch would spare Jack his wrath.

Pitch chuckled lightly, a simple stuttered exhale that seemed so relaxed and confident that it made Jack doubt his own conviction. "Jack, think about it for a minute, would you?" He seemed so friendly, not condescending. He was just trying to get Jack to see it his way and his tone alone made Jack's temper cool. "You can tell on me at any time, can't you? You could go to that officer and tell him all about the bad stuff I'm doing. Why would I jeopardize myself by angering you? Over some petty revenge? I doubt that greatly." He leaned forward, his face getting close to Jack. "You've been my closest friend for three years, Jack, why would I try to wreck what we had any further?"

Jack stared long and hard into Pitch's eyes. Something flickered there, some unreadable emotion that Jack was unsure of. "I don't know," he answered finally. Pitch was the vindictive type, yes, but he was also rather sentimental. Whether it was good or bad, he held onto it. He held grudges but did not usually act on them. Jack used to call him sentimental all the time, especially when they'd been younger and while Jack was trying to forget his misfortune, Pitch had been trying to eternalize it. Perhaps Pitch would not try to hurt Jack.

"Who else could it be?" He was asking more himself than Pitch but the other boy answered anyway.

"I don't know, Jack. I thought I saw Bunny taking the stupid thing home on that day. We both know he doesn't like you and has been trying to prove to everyone that you're dangerous ever since you froze his precious paint set." He gave Jack a side long glance, calculating and observant. "Maybe he did it."

Jack considered him for a moment. Bunny was a bit of a pacifist. Any other circumstances and he and Jack would have gotten along swimmingly. The fact of the matter was that Aster liked rules and Jack did not. But then again, Aster had threatened to hurt Jack, or get back at Jack in some way. Maybe this was pay back for the Jack painting his bug blue. But would Aster go so far as to actually kill something?

Aster was a vegetarian. He hated killing things. He was with PETA and everything. Jack was the same way; he just did not advertise it because he did not want to be recruited by the hipster clique. Maybe Aster was not as animal-friendly as Jack had initially thought. The kid could be pretty violent. He had been known in his freshman year for starting fights with a lot of the junior football players, and winning most of those confrontations.

The more Jack thought about it, the more he realized how logically sound it was. The only problem was that Aster had been tasked with taking care of the squirrel over winter break. There was a new student to do it over every weekend, but the school would give the student who did it over long holidays community service credit, so it was usually an ASB senior who did it.

If he had brought it to school like that, because students were not allowed to put him in his case, which was for school administration, someone would have noticed that the squirrel was dead and they would have blamed Aster. So it must have happened after he brought it to school. Even still, they would have gone straight to Aster anyway, because he had been the one to be taking care of it. They must have talked to him before hand, right? So they had cleared that he was not the one that had done it.

Either that or the administration had believed that because Aster had already brought the animal to school he was no longer responsible for it, and thus did not even think that it could have been him, automatically going straight to thinking it was Jack.

The fact of the matter was that Aster knew how to get into Monty's case in the main hall. He had been there while the janitor or whoever was in charge of putting the squirrel away had done it. Jack, on the other hand, had no idea how to do that.

Jack turned to say something to Pitch about his thoughts on the whole thing but before he could, Mr. Price stood from his desk to start the lecture. Jack gave one last glance at Pitch, taking note of the small smile on his lips. He wondered for a moment what he was so happy about before the thought was whisked away as he started taking notes.

* * *

Jack slid into the passenger seat and closed the door and proceeded to sit ramrod straight. The tension in the car could be cut with a knife and it hurt his chest to breath, to be frank.

"You did do it, didn't you." Boris was leaning toward him over the console, giving him a look that made Jack's skin itch.

"No! I've told everyone, it wasn't me."

"Jack, please, for the love of God, do not lie to me."

"I'm not lying!"

Boris leaned away, sighing heavily. He pulled away from the curb before the people behind him got antsy. There were no more words between the two of them until they were well away from the school.

"I don't get paid enough for this," he heard Boris mutter under his breath.

Just like that, all the frustration, all the tension that had been building up for months suddenly broke the dam. He whipped toward Boris in his seat, nearly hitting the old gentleman. "I'd ask my dad for a raise and all, but in case you haven't noticed, he's not here! I've tried calling him but he didn't answer. I haven't talked to him since Thanksgiving! I know what you're thinking, so don't waste your energy saying it. I'm only doing this to get his attention. You think that if I really wanted his attention, I would freeze a squirrel!? Why wouldn't I just run away? Don't you think I haven't thought about this? Do even realize how many times I've seriously considered just getting on a plane and finding him myself. I could do it. I have plenty of money! Why do you think I haven't gotten a car yet? Because when I graduate, I want to go find him and tell him personally that he can stop pretending to feel bad about being a bad dad because I've decided I don't need him anymore. I'll be eighteen in two months, then you won't have to be going crazy trying to look after me, because I don't need anyone after that, and you can just leave me alone-"

He felt his throat block up and he was forced to take a choking gasp. His eyes burned and his fingered shook. That was what he wanted, right? He wanted to be by himself, so that people would stop looking at him like he was someone that needed pity. So what if he did not have any family? That did not matter. He was going to college in less than a year, and then he could be anyone he wanted. If he wanted to be the kid with more family than he could remember, then he would be and no one would ever know. He would not have to be an orphan forever. Hell, he could even decide that he did not want any friends because he did not need them. He needed no one, and he had certainly did not need anyone's condescending looks or pity filled gazes.

So why was the thought of being alone constricting his chest and making it hard to breathe? Why was that thought so horribly painful?

He turned away and scrambled for the door, making Boris swerve to the side of the road when he saw what Jack was about to do.

He almost tripped when his feet touched the still moving ground outside the car, but Boris had slowed enough that he was able to catch his balance. He left his bag in the car and slammed the door shut behind him, even with Boris yelling after him. They were out of town, but still among the orchards that lined the road from town to the higher end residential district. He hopped the wooden fence and sprinted through the trees, ignoring Boris's yells for him to come back. He ran until all he could hear was his own ragged breathing and the pounding of his heart in his ears.

He collapsed on the ground, beneath the crowded citrus trees and finally let himself cry. He was an adult and he would not allow himself to be seen acting like a child, but the trees were his only witness and he knew they would not tell anyone.

* * *

_Afterword: I feel like this chapter ended awkwardly but I don't know how else to put it. I also feel like there shouldn't be an author's note, but meh. Anyway, a day early because I found some time and tomorrow I will not be willing to do anything but watch Trigun (my newest obsession, why haven't I heard about this earlier? This anime will murder me with feels. No spoilers I'm only on episode 15. I really want to finish it, you guys have no idea, but I have so much homework that it hurts me) and play videogames until I am in a catatonic state. Also, homework. Week 1, I was like, I could totally handle this much homework. Week 2 and I'm starting to sweat._

_Anyway, reviews are love and I like feeling loved every now and then. :)_


	5. Chapter 5

Jack sat up in a rush, his head clouded and disoriented. Snow dripped off his face and he felt generally dirty, cold, and fairly wet. It took him a moment before he realized that he was half buried in the snow.

He looked around the dark orchard and came to the conclusion that he had fallen asleep. He pulled out his phone to check the time. Six o'clock. Boris would be getting worried soon.

It was still snowing at a fairly regular drift, and without the sun the air temperature had plummeted. Jack shivered. Usually the cold did not bother him, but coupled with the darkness and the loneliness he felt in his chest, he suddenly was very, very cold.

He sat up a little more and scooted backwards until his back was against one of the trees. His legs came up to his chest and he wrapped his arms around them, resting his chin on his knees. He should go home before Boris called the police, if he had not already. He was not ready yet. He did not think he could honestly face the old man's wrath.

Boris would not yell. He never yelled. He would just look at Jack with that disappointment in his eyes. Jack just could not handle that right now. Too many people were giving him those looks.

He sighed and clenched his jaw to keep it from rattling. He really should at least walk back to town and find someplace warm to hang out for a while. Oddly, being here, under the trees in the quiet moonlight was calming, though, and he really did not want to move.

He sighed. "What am I doing?" he asked quietly. "Who would have done this to me? Did they do it to prove a point, or did they think about what kind of impacts this would have?" He turned his head so that his cheek was on his knee. "Could it be Pitch? He has motive. He could be mad at me for ditching him. But would he do all of this over something like that? It was not even that messy." He frowned, thinking back. "He didn't do anything to his last girlfriend when she broke up with him and if that wasn't a messy affair, I don't know what is.

"Who would want to do this to me? Maybe Pitch is right to suspect Aster. He doesn't like me. He's been trying to get me into trouble for almost a year. Maybe he finally decided to get his hands dirty to do it. I could see him doing that. That stupid egg of his was so precious to him. Maybe painting it was the final straw that broke the rabbit's back."

There was very suddenly an extraordinarily bright light being shown on his face. It made him jump at the sudden appearance of the other as well as effectively blinding him.

"Who are you talking to, mate?"

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

Jack had to cover his eyes to try to abate the explosion of pain behind his eyes and across his forehead. "Bunnymund!" he exclaimed, trying to shove down the panic and think up an excuse as to why he was sitting alone in a dark orchard he did not own, talking to himself.

"Frost?"

Oh that nickname sucked right now. Why did he choose to have an MO again? Oh yeah, because he thought it was cool. How stupid was that?

"Yeah, that's me." He sounded weak and pathetic, even to his own ears. He hoped that Aster would not notice the slight shake in his voice.

The flashlight angled down and finally Jack could see the other boy standing with his dark clothes in the white snow. It was too dark to see his face, but at least he could make out where exactly he was standing.

"You alright?"

Dang, he noticed. "It's a bit cold," he replied, smiling dryly at the other, knowing he could see it.

Aster was completely still for a long moment and for a second Jack was afraid he was going to walk away. That was what he wanted him to do, though… Right? He did not want to hang out with the guy that framed him… or possibly framed him?

He frowned suddenly. Why was this so hard? It could not possibly be anyone else. "What do you want?" He had not meant for it to come out so nastily. It took him a moment to realize that he was angrier at himself than any possible suspect. It was his fault, after all. In the end, everything always boiled down to being his fault.

For some reason that only made his angrier. It was the kind of anger that sapped your energy and left you drained. The cold probably was not helping either.

"I want to know what the hell you're doin' in this orchard?"

"You know, I'd kind of like to know why _you're_ here, too."

"I asked first."

"How'd you get out here, I didn't even hear you coming?"

He could almost imagine the grin on Aster's face as much as he heard it. "I'm a ninja, mate."

"Right, of course you are." Why was he so freaking tired? He kind of felt like he had run a mile and could not quite get enough breath. "You're an idiot." Why did he say that? He had no idea. He was beginning not to care. He actually kind of wanted to curl up in the snow and go to sleep. That sounded like an absolutely fantastic idea.

"Why am _I_ the idiot?" Aster asked harshly. Jack could not help but think his voice was way too loud. "I'm not the one sitting out here in the snow."

His mind actually blanked for a second, to where he only heard 'snow'. Of course, he connected it to his sister. "I like the snow. So did she, y'know?" He tried to bring his arms in the sleeves. He was not wearing any gloves and his fingers were stiff. He clumsily fought with the hoodie for almost half a minute before deciding that it was not actually worth the trouble. "She would drag me out on the first day of snow and we'd play until our fingers numbed. That was fun. I miss those days."

His mind usually turned to darker things at this point and for a brief moment he was there again, on the lake. The ice had cracked and she was staring at him like he was going to save her. He wished he had been quick enough.

His tears were hot on his face and he wiped them away before the other boy could see. What was he doing telling Aster this? That jerk did not need to know that stuff.

He heard something next to him and realized his eyes were closed. When had that happened?

"You alright there, mate?"

Aster was right next to him. He lifted his head to glare at him with his light and his stupid worried expression. "Why'd ya look so worried?" He sounded drunk. He laughed because he sounded like a dork. It came out as a painful hiccup. What was it that Boris said about hypothermia? He could not bring himself to actually care. Hey, if he died of hypothermia, then he would have gone out just like his sister. There would not be any more backfire pranks, no more police officers threatening to take away his chance to go to college, no more of this crap his dad had been pulling on him. No more, no more, and that sounded so very sweet.

There was someone tugging on his arm and he realized that his eyes had drifted closed again. "What're you doin'?"

"Saving you, dumby. You're going to get hypothermia out here."

Jack laughed. "Too late for that. But that's fine. It's all fine."

"You want to die out here?" Aster actually sounded a little horrified.

"Oh, you do care!"

"Oh rack off, you bloody prick."

Aster did not leave Jack like he had originally expected him too. He did not even jostle him. He just pulled him to his feet and draped the arm he had been pulling on over his shoulder. Jack was kind of taken aback by that. Why was Aster doing this? "Don't you hate me?"

"What?" He seemed genuinely surprised by the question. "I don't hate you," Aster admitted with an odd amount of gentleness. "You're a prick with a knack for trouble, but I don't actually hate you."

"What about your car."

Aster sighed. "At least you chose a good alternative color."

"You're just saying that."

"Yeah, I am. I'm still pretty mad at you, but not enough to let you die out here."

"I'm not gunna die," Jack assured him. "I'm not that lucky."

"You know," Aster said, his breath coming out a little labored. "You sure are a depressing guy for someone who has everything."

Jack actually laughed at that. It was a harsh bark that was far from humorous and just a little sarcastic. "What things do you think I have?"

"Money, for one."

"Money's not mine. It's my dad's."

"Well you actually have a dad. I don't."

"You don't?"

"Nope, don't have a mom either."

"Where are they?"

"They died when I was little."

"That sucks."

"Yeah, but I guess it happens. Not all of us can be so lucky, right?"

"My dad lives in Europe. I haven't seen him a year."

"Oh. Well, what about your mom?"

"She got sick and died. That was my fault, actually."

Aster actually faltered in the steady pace he had been going. "What?" He looked at Jack, despite the awkward way he had to crane his neck to do so. "What does that mean?"

"My sister died and Mom just couldn't bear losing her. So she bit the dust, too."

"You seem pretty nonchalant about that."

"What do you want me to do, become all sappy sad for you? Like you said, we can't all be so lucky."

"So why is all that your fault?"

"Remember that rumor about how I killed some kid on a frozen pond or something? I don't really remember, nor want to. You know what I'm talking about, though."

He felt Aster nod, feeling his shoulders tense slightly.

"Well, it's partially true. She fell in; I was not able to save her. End of story."

"Why only partially true?"

"I tried to save her. The rumor says that I did it on purpose."

Aster snorted, but it did not have the desired effect. "I thought you said you couldn't remember the rumor."

"It was hard to forget."

An awkward silence fell between them as they trudged through the snow and leaves.

"You're not going to say sorry?" Jack asked after a minute.

"Not usually my style," Aster replied. "Would you have wanted me to if I had?" The question was more sardonic than anything, so Jack figured that the other already knew the answer to that.

"No," he replied anyway.

"Didn't really think so," Aster chuckled. His breath was coming a little harsher now.

Jack suddenly felt bad. Here they were in some random orchard, and Aster was the one practically dragging him back to civilization. Jack tried to pick up his feet to lessen the burden but found his legs to be rather rubbery.

"I wouldn't," Aster said in response. "The more you move the worse it'll get. I would actually carry you if I was strong enough."

"Now that would just make me feel worse," Jack snarked, not intending for it to come out so harshly.

Again, Aster did not rise to the bait. Jack sulked for a minute.

"You could just leave me here, I really wouldn't mind and I'll be fine and all," he said gently after a while.

Aster adjusted his hold on Jack. "No way, mate. North would kill me if I came back to tell him that I left Jack Frost out here to freeze in his orchard."

"North? You mean Nicholas North? That huge Russian kid with the beard? I didn't know he lived out here."

"Eyup. We're all hangin' out here tonight. Thiana Fairy, Sanderson McSnoozie, and North."

"Why do you call him by his last name?"

"Same reason they call me Bunny, it's just easier to say, I guess."

Jack paused for a moment. "Your friends… they actually call you—" He could not finish before he burst into laughter. It was the first real laugh all day and he could not help but feel a few pounds lighter.

"Aw, shut up, you frostbitten whelp." Despite the insult, Aster had a touch of amusement and maybe even a little relief in his voice.

They pull out of the tree line then, and started walking the short lawn to the barn. There was light coming out of the rafter window and Jack could hear soft music. The thought of getting dry and warm suddenly sounded really fantastic. So did a long nap. It was after dark, maybe he would text Boris and then just sleep in the barn. That sounded really good.

They approached the massive front doors and Aster knocked in an odd pattern. A female voice from inside called, "password!"

"Sweet dreams," Aster called back as if it were the most normal thing in the world. He blatantly ignored Jack's confused expression.

"Nope, that was last week's."

"Then…" Aster paused and mumbled something that sounded like 'North's week'. "Uh, Christmas cookie?"

The door opened and inside stood the most colorful person Jack had ever seen. She was covered in rainbows. In her hair, on her clothes, even the jewelry she wore seemed colorful.

"Woah," he said involuntarily.

The girl giggled. "Close. Gingerbread actually."

"That's nice, Tooth, but I got an emergency here."

It was then that 'Tooth' noticed Jack. "Oh my," she said rather daintily. She pushed the door open and let them both come in.

The air inside the barn was incredibly warm and Jack could not help the grin that spread across his face. The lights he had seen were from a million strands of Christmas lights. Some of them were colored and twinkled; others were brilliant gold and warm. There was a small radio in the corner playing Christmas songs. Two boys sat at a table in the middle of the barn's main corridor, playing a card game. One was so big that he had to hunch to rest his elbows on the table while the other was short enough that his feet dangled off the chair.

Aster set him down on the ground and ran towards the back of the barn. The two boys playing the card game looked up as Aster went past, then over at Jack.

Jack had not realized how dazed he was until suddenly the girl who had let them in was touching his face. He flinched away, not expecting it but even he knew that his reaction had been a little delayed. She was frowning rather intensely.

"Did you hit your head, Jack?"

"You know my name?" he asked stupidly.

Her smile was a little strained when she answered. "Everyone knows your name after today."

"Oh, yeah. I guess that makes sense."

She was frowning again. "If it makes you feel any better, we knew your name before that."

"Oh." He was quiet for a minute and she helped him out of his hoodie. "Why didn't you ever talk to me before? I mean, don't get me wrong, Pitch was a great friend and all, but he can be kind of depressing to be around. I wouldn't have minded hanging out with someone so…" He made a gesture to her in general, "colorful."

She pulled away, dropping his hoodie on the ground next to him. She turned away as Aster came back and Jack could have sworn he had seen a blush on her tan skin.

"His shirt's not too wet," Tooth said as she took the blanket that Aster had brought.

"What about his pants?"

She looked at Jack apprehensively. "Do we have to?"

Aster gave her a derisive look.

"Oh alright. I'm not helping him, though." With that she draped the blanket over his shoulders and marched away.

That left Jack sitting on the cold concrete and Aster standing over him.

"Pants off, now," Aster demanded.

Jack grinned up at him. "Didn't think you were interested in that, Bunny."

Aster leaned down, one finger in Jack's face. "Just because we proved that we could have a civil conversation with each other does not mean that you and I are friends, got it? You don't have the right to call me that. Now take off your pants and get in the chair," Aster growled, pointing to the beanbag in the corner.

It was not lost on Jack that it was the farthest corner from the table that the other three were playing go fish at. "I don't know where you came up with the assumption I wanted to be your friend." He did not need him. He did not need anyone.

Aster walked over to the table, sat down in the last of the four chairs and was promptly dealt into the game. Jack did what he was told, even though he really just wanted to leave. He used the blanket around his shoulders to shield himself from view.

He could hear their conversation and tried not to listen, but could not help it.

"Should I find 'nother chair?" North asked.

"Nah, he's going to sit over there and call home or something," Aster replied.

"Did you get the popcorn?" Tooth- no wait, he was not their friend so he could not call them by their nicknames—Thiana asked quietly.

"Oh crap." Aster again. "I forgot, sorry."

"That's alright. That stuff just gets stuck in your teeth, anyway."

"What're you looking at, mate?"

Jack glanced up from where he had been trying to bundle up as much as possible. His eyes met Sanderson's silent gaze head on. Almost as soon as they made eye contact, Jack diverted his gaze.

There was a moment of silence, then Aster's voice again. "What do you mean he looks lonely? Kid's got plenty of friends. Just 'cause he can't be with them all the time doesn't mean we should all start pitying him."

"What was he doing in the orchard?" Thiana asked.

"Dunno, he wouldn't tell me."

"Maybe we should ask him. He might be in trouble?"

"Whatever trouble he's in, he deserves it." What had happened to the nice Aster that had found Jack? This Aster was angry and accusatory. Jack kind of liked the other guy. This was just a reminder why he did not like him most of the time.

He suddenly stood, frustration and fury bubbling in his stomach. He just could not get a break, could he? "Ever consider that maybe I was tired of everyone accusing me of something I didn't do?!" He had not meant to yell, but it just burst out before he could stop it. The others stared at him, all wide eyed and surprised like they had forgotten he was even there.

It should not have hurt as much as it did. These people were not his friends, so why did he suddenly expect them to actually stop and consider his side of the story? Not even Boris believed him at this point. Why was he so stupid about these things?

He grabbed his pants and made for the door. He did not care if he had minor hypothermia or the thought of going back out in that cold make a pit form in the bottom of his stomach. He did not care that he was leaving his shoes behind. This would not be the first time he had run barefoot in the snow before.

He pulled on his pants before he had even made it out of the door, ignoring the way they had all yelled after him. They were probably just telling him to go away anyway. It was not like they actually wanted him to stay or anything. They had made it abundantly clear that they did not like him.

He dropped the blanket on the ground behind him and took off into a sprint. He ignored the way twigged bit into his feet or that his toes ached with cold. He just wanted to go home, curl up in his bed and go to sleep.

He wished Emma was still there. She would have believed him.

* * *

They watched him disappear out the door in a flurry. Aster had jumped up when he saw Jack make a break for the door. The idiot was not supposed to be moving around, let alone going back out into the cold without his hoodie or his shoes.

"Crap," he said after a minute.

Sandy had jumped off of his seat, leaving his whiteboard on the table as he ran for the door. For such a short guy, he was quick, making it across the room and out the door only a couple of seconds after Jack.

Tooth and North were up and after him too in moment, with Aster trailing reluctantly behind. He would have been all for leaving that prick out there, but he remember how he had found him, though, half buried in the snow and paler than what was healthy. He had been mumbling to himself like some broken toy.

_Ever consider that maybe I was tired of everyone accusing me of something I didn't do?!_

What did he mean?

He caught up with Tooth, who was running a few yards behind North. Jack and Sandy had already disappeared in the tree line.

"Maybe Sandy was right when he thought that Jack hadn't done this," Tooth huffed beneath breaths.

Aster did not reply. He felt a little sick to think that all of the crap that kid had gotten today was all over a really bad understanding.

He passed Tooth and soon North. Running through the trees was difficult in the dark and he had to rely on his inherent knowledge of the orchard. He had run through here a lot since he had met North, years ago. He knew this orchard like the back of his hand. He had no idea how Jack was doing it.

He passed Sandy, and was coming up on Jack. Aster was the fastest of them, having the longest legs. Sure, North was taller, but he was also larger. His size slowed him down.

Jack was not slow, either. The kid rocketed through the trees like a bat out of hell, dodging trees and leaping over the hoses. It took Aster a moment to realize he was counting the irregularities. In essence, they were not actually irregular, just the border of one section of the orchard from another. They were all heading toward the road.

He was out of breath by the time he was close enough to tackle him. There was no way that Jack could dodge him, even if he was aware of how close he was. They both went tumbling through the snow and leaves, their momentum rolling them for a few more yards.

They came to a stop, Aster pinning Jack to the ground. Jack was not happy about this. His eyes gleamed with panic in the moonlight and he swung defensively with his arms. Aster had taken a lot of martial arts classes. Jack was an amateur. He stood absolutely no chance.

One punch to the face dazed the prankster and made him fall limp.

With a heavy sigh, Aster sat up and off of him. "Idiot, what'd you run for?"

"I figured you didn't want me there. I would much rather get accused by my nanny than a bunch of people that don't even want me around. At least Boris has to pretend to like me."

"Oh cut the drama. So a bunch of kids don't like you, get over it. Just because all your friends think you're just so funny doesn't mean that we do."

"I don't have any friends, you dipshit."

Aster could tell the words had come out involuntarily. Jack betrayed himself when he clamped his hand over his mouth and refused to say anything else.

He was not sure what affect that Jack was aiming for, but it certainly got one. Aster felt the prickle of shame race up his arms unbidden. He did not have any friends? He was a prick sometimes but so was Aster, he was not about to lie to himself. But Aster had friends, so why not Jack?

"You're kidding," he said after a moment.

"Forget it. Forget I said it. I have plenty of friends. Just leave me alone." Jack's voice was low and strained and Aster could tell he was lying, even in the dark.

The others had caught up at the point, all of them huffing and puffing and none had thought ahead to bring a flashlight. Aster was a little to shocked to really care.

Earlier that day, Sandy had made a few points in Jack's favor about pranks when all the others had been so quick to denounce Jack. He had said that Jack had never hurt anyone ever. Maybe a few bumps and bruises but nothing you could not laugh at later. So why all of a sudden a dead squirrel?

"What about Cosmo, I thought he was your friends?"

"Not anymore," Jack replied with a false cheer that grinded on Aster. "You could say that he and I have different ideas about ethics."

He had never seen Jack hang out with anyone else. But… That could not actually mean that…

"Did you kill the squirrel?" The others had fallen silent, trying to quiet their breathing so they could hear Jack's answer. Aster could feel more than see Jack's gaze burning into him.

His words dropped like a bomb between them. One simple word, but his tone, his conviction, the darkness and fear and _sadness_ in his voice was what made the real impact. "No."

* * *

It was at least another hour before Jack finally got home. Aster and the others had tried to ask him a lot of questions, but he just did not have the answers. North had ended up just taking him home.

Boris was in the living room when Jack walked in. The place was a mess, with books strewn everywhere, on every available surface. It had not been like that this morning so Jack came to the conclusion that Boris had decided to reorganize the bookshelf. He did that when he was worried. It made Jack feel a little better at least.

Boris looked up when he heard Jack enter, looking dirty and cold and little wet. He had a black eye from where Aster had punched him.

"What is God's name happened to you?" was the first thing that came out of the butler's mouth.

"I had a frank exchange of ideas with a wayward rabbit," Jack replied, trying to use humor to defuse the tension in Boris' shoulders. If he could crack a joke, then everything would be alright.

Boris just frowned, setting down the book he had been about to put on the shelf. He came towards Jack, weaving around his mess. Jack put up his hand to stop him.

"I'm fine, Boris. I just want to go to bed."

"Jack—"

The younger could feel where that tone wanted to go. "Boris," he cut him off. "I'm tired. I've been nearly frozen to death then punched, all in the last hour. I really just want to go to bed. Can we talk about this in the morning?"

Boris looked worried. Jack could tell he wanted to hug, but quite frankly, the teenager was just generally done with people altogether. He wanted to go upstairs and sleep forever.

Boris sighed, his eyes gentle. "Just because I'm letting you go tonight, does not mean that you're off the hook."

Jack smiled tiredly, but even he could feel how brittle it felt on his face. "Yeah I know. Good night, Boris."

"Good night, Jack."

* * *

_Afterword: Well, hello! I think I was beginning to bore you guys a little bit, so I decided to write a little longer chapter and start getting to the meat of things. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter more than last (I get the feeling you guys didn't like it. I didn't get much feedback so I was a little concerned. I tried harder this chapter). Drop a review if you feel so inclined, it really helps me out, guys. :) _


End file.
